聪明
smart; clever; intelligent
HSK level
- Pinyin
- cōngming
- Part of speech
- adjective
- Level
- HSK 3
- Strokes
- 23
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 聪明
聪明 is written with 23 strokes (聪: 15, 明: 8). The animation replays automatically.
What does 聪明 mean?
聪明 (cōngming) is the most common Chinese adjective for 'smart,' 'clever,' or 'intelligent.'
It describes someone with quick wits and good understanding — a child who learns fast, an adult who picks things up quickly, even a dog that can do tricks. Literally, 聪 means 'sharp of hearing' and 明 means 'bright / clear of sight,' so 聪明 originally pictured someone with sharp ears and clear eyes — alert and perceptive. Two notes for English speakers: first, 聪明 is mostly used for nimbleness of mind and street smarts, not deep wisdom. For wise/profound, Chinese uses 智慧 (zhìhuì) as a noun.
Second, 聪明 can carry a slightly mixed tone in some contexts: calling someone 太聪明了 ('too clever') can imply they are sly or sharp-tongued. For pure praise, 很聪明 is safe and very positive. The second syllable 明 is usually pronounced in the neutral tone (ming) in this word.
Character by character
Memory hook: 聪 (sharp ears) + 明 (bright eyes) = the original picture of intelligence: someone who hears and sees clearly.
Example sentences
这个孩子真聪明。
Zhège háizi zhēn cōngming.
This child is really smart.
spoken
他是一个又聪明又努力的学生。
Tā shì yí gè yòu cōngming yòu nǔlì de xuésheng.
He's a smart and hardworking student.
neutral
我的狗很聪明，能听懂我的话。
Wǒ de gǒu hěn cōngming, néng tīngdǒng wǒ de huà.
My dog is very smart; it can understand what I say.
spoken
聪明的人不一定快乐。
Cōngming de rén bù yídìng kuàilè.
Smart people aren't necessarily happy.
written
Common phrases with 聪明
Synonyms
机灵 means 'quick-witted / nimble,' emphasizing fast reaction in specific situations — often praises kids or pets. 聪明 is broader: it describes overall intelligence, not just quick reactions.
Don't confuse 聪明 with
FAQ
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